Mobile Networks Using O2 Coverage & Cheaper ‘O2 Piggyback’ SIM Cards

The UK has four network coverage providers: EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. Each of the coverage providers maintain a network of mobile phone masts, licensing spectrum from the government and operating the physical towers. Alongside them, there’s a group of virtual network operators like giffgaff and Sky Mobile that “piggyback” on coverage from one of the four coverage providers.

At present, there are 6 other mobile networks that ‘piggyback’ on coverage from O2. If you’re a customer of one of these mobile networks, you’ll have access to the exact same coverage as customers on O2. This includes O2’s 99% population coverage on 2G, 3G and 4G (but not Wi-Fi Calling and 4G Calling as these are O2-specific services).

In this article, we’ll review the mobile networks piggybacking on O2 coverage, which will often give you larger allowances for a lower monthly price. We’ll compare the best value SIM cards at a range of price points, from £5/month up to more than £20/month.

Mobile Networks Using O2 Coverage

The following table shows a list of mobile networks using coverage from O2. On all of these mobile networks, you’ll have coverage wherever an O2 signal is normally available:

As of January 2018, O2 mobile contracts are also being promoted by TalkTalk to their broadband & home phone customers. This replaces the old TalkTalk Mobile service (previously using coverage from Vodafone), with TalkTalk customers receiving a fully-branded O2 service.

If you’re a customer of O2 directly, you’ll have access to O2 customer-exclusive features such as O2 Priority. These offers are not available to customers of a virtual network operator, but there may be other network-specific features or offers (e.g. Sky Mobile’s data piggybank feature or giffgaff’s Payback rewards).

Deals By Price Range

In the rest of this article, we’ll compare the best value SIM cards using coverage from O2. All of the deals are separated out by price range and tariff type (e.g. Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go).

Please select your preferred price range to see a list of currently available deals:

Pay As You Go

If you’re looking for a traditional Pay As You Go tariff where you’re able to pay on a per-minute, per-text and per-megabyte basis, you’re currently best off on O2’s Classic Pay As You Go tariff. On Classic Pay As You Go, you’ll pay 3p/minute, 2p/text and 1p/MB. This even undercuts the price offered by virtual networks like giffgaff, who charge 15p/minute, 5p/text and 5p/MB.

Less than £10/month

If you’d like a SIM card for less than £10/month with coverage from O2, you can currently choose from giffgaff, Lycamobile, Sky Mobile and Tesco Mobile.

On a Pay Monthly contract, Sky Mobile offers SIM cards on a 12-month contract. If you’re a Sky TV customer, you’ll get unlimited calls and unlimited texts are included in the plan. For everyone else, it’s either an extra £10/month, or you can Pay As You Use at 10p/minute and 10p/text.

For the ultimate in flexibility, it’s worth having a look at Pay As You Go bundles, especially from giffgaff. Of particular note, giffgaff offers the £8 goodybag with 500 minutes, unlimited texts and 2GB of data.

£20/month and more

The following deals are available from £20/month with coverage from O2. For £25/month, giffgaff offers the £25 goodybag with unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and Always-On data (unlimited downloads with 4G speeds on the first 20GB per month). This is available as a Pay As You Go bundle, so there’s no need to sign a contract or to undergo a credit check.

For more information about data speeds and tethering, tap the data allowances in the table above. For Pay Monthly contracts, you can tap the mobile network’s logo for information about the length of the contract.

Grantsaid:

I want a low usage tariff like O2’s ‘Classic Pay As You Go’, but I am confused by their terms and conditions.

In one section it states you must Top Up every 6 months
Classic Pay As You Go
When you join Classic Pay As You Go, you pay for what you use, as you go. The minimum
top up requirement is £10.
‘If you don’t top up, or add a Bolt On at least once in any six month period, your mobile will be
disconnected and you’ll lose any credit on your account. If you want to be reconnected you’ll
be given a new mobile number.’

But in the Terms and Conditions paragraph 7.1. it states that you are only required to use the SIM every 6 months
7.1. If you do not carry out any chargeable activity at least once in any 6 month period your
Mobile Phone will be disconnected and you will lose any remaining credits balance on your
Account. If you wish to be re-connected after this time you will be given a new Mobile Phone
number.

Do I have to only use the SIM every 6 months as it states. Or do I need to ‘Top Up’ £10 every 6 months as well as using the SIM?

Hi Grant,
Thanks for your comment. This is a question that lots of people have discussed in the comments on my full guide to O2 Classic Pay As You Go. I believe the general consensus is this was sloppy wording from O2, and you just had to use your phone for a chargeable activity once every 6 months. However, if this is likely to be an issue, I’d recommend double-checking directly with O2.
Ken

Christopher Pughsaid:

Hi Ken, Your article is very interesting. I have been on Tesco Mobile PAYG Lite for some time, at 8p per minute for calls and 4p for texts. I use a simple phone on this service for calls only. (I have a smartphone on the “3” network for data use). Can I really change to O2’s Classic PAYG tariff at 3p per call and 2p per text, with the only conditions that need to be satisfied are a minimum top up of £10 and one call must be made every six months. It sounds identical to Tesco Lite at 3/8 of the call cost, or have I missed something?

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About Ken

My passion is helping people to get the most out of their mobile phone. I've been blogging at Ken's Tech Tips since 2005.

Aside from writing about mobile technology, I have an interest in software development, digital marketing and physics. Outside of the blog, I work with numerous technology companies helping them to market their product to consumers. Find out more.